


Aftermath

by asproutling



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Comforting Keith, Confessions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Shadam, Season 7 Spoilers, crying Shiro, lots of italics sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 21:49:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15649590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asproutling/pseuds/asproutling
Summary: Shiro had his left hand outstretched, unmoving, the lightest of touches upon the memorial wall. He was wearing his Garrison issued officer's uniform--Keith suddenly felt a bit self-conscious of his own medical gown attire. Shiro's right arm sleeve was folded up, his Altean prosthetic nowhere to be seen. Keith frowned at the sight, worry filling his gut: was it malfunctioning again, causing him pain?Shiro hadn't visited him once these past few days; Keith had asked Krolia the first time he awoke, and the second, but not the third, nor any time after--he didn't think he could bear the same answer again and again. He wanted to wonder why, but couldn't let himself. Shiro was a busy man, with a lot on his plate, he just didn't have the time, that's okay, and he wants to be alone right now, I should head back-"I'm sorry." The words cut through the silence of the room, and the uproar of his mind, like glass shattering on hard tile floor. Keith quit his retreat and turned to gaze upon Shiro's form once more."I'm so sorry."AKA The One Where Shiro Finally Has A Breakdown, and Keith is there to help him through it.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Season 7 destroyed a lot of people, kinda/sorta including myself, so here have this quick hurt/comfort nonsense cause ya boy had to get something out and don't know how to write fluff lmao and LET SHIRO CRY

Keith awoke once more but, for the first time, to an empty room. He had regained consciousness only a handful of times these past few days, and each and every time someone had been there with him--a nurse, a doctor, Kolivan, Krolia--but never had he been completely alone; a sign of his stable, improving health, the man thought. They would come in, update him on his condition, his friends' conditions, Earth's condition. With every bout of good news came the accompanying relieved smile that formed upon his face, before he could once again drift into a peaceful, much needed slumber.

He sat up, instantly clutching his left side, the pain from the paladins' final battle still very much present. Violet eyes scanned the room: the curtains were pulled back, revealing the starry night sky; the lights above his head were soft, dimly lit; the nearby bedside table littered with flowers, cards, letters. Keith smiled tightly, the quick thought of _how is this my life now?_  ran through his mind, before settling into something more calm, more warm to the metaphorical touch: he'd earned it.

But another sentiment, one he didn't quite want to assess just yet, came rearing its ugly head. He was thankful for Kolivan, for his mom visiting and keeping an eye on him, but-

_Where was Shiro?_

Keith's feet were meeting cold tile floor and, before he knew it, he found himself almost mindlessly drifting towards... some area, he wasn't sure where. Photos of men and women in uniform littered the hallway walls; flags from all different nations, united under one roof filled the corners of the connected buildings. Even after all these years, and considering the Garrison had upgraded most of its departments to fight the Galra, not much had changed. But he had never found himself in this particular area of the military compound before. When Keith reached his destination he instantly knew why.

There was a raised "In Memoriam" plaque in the center of the room, demanding his attention. A half-circular, horizontal stone arch took up the rest of the room's space, littered with the seemingly countless names of his fallen comrades, most of whom he'd never even met.

He had never been here before, because- because there was never a need for a space like this. Not until now.

And there were _so many names_.

Keith clenched his fists, shaking his head at the thought, and turned his attention to the only other living, breathing figure in the room.

Of course. _Of course_.

Shiro had his left hand outstretched, unmoving, the lightest of touches upon the memorial wall. He was wearing his Garrison issued officer's uniform--Keith suddenly felt a bit self-conscious of his own medical gown attire. Shiro's right arm sleeve was folded up, his Altean prosthetic nowhere to be seen. Keith frowned at the sight, worry filling his gut: was it malfunctioning again, causing him pain?

Shiro hadn't visited him once these past few days; Keith had asked Krolia the first time he awoke, and the second, but not the third, nor any time after--he didn't think he could bear the same answer again and again. He wanted to wonder why, but couldn't let himself. _Shiro was a busy man, with a lot on his plate,_ _he just didn't have the time, that's okay, and he wants to be alone right now, I should head back_ -

"I'm sorry." The words cut through the silence of the room, and the uproar of his mind, like glass shattering on hard tile floor. Keith quit his retreat and turned to gaze upon Shiro's form once more.

"I'm so sorry," Shiro let out again, voice wavering and cracking, head down with his chin tightly tucked into his chest. Keith could tell by the way his shoulders were vibrating just so that Shiro was only barely holding himself together.

Keith didn't know what he should do, what he could do--but he knew what he wanted to do. The sound of skin-on-marble footsteps filled the room, Keith making sure Shiro would first notice his approach before reaching him. Shiro stiffened slightly, quickly dabbing at his cheeks and eyes, a sniffle or two coming from the man, then turned to Keith with red, swollen eyes. A surprised look came across the older man's face, quickly replaced with a fond, soft smile.

Keith's heart _ached_.

"Keith," Shiro began, voice low and rough. Chills reverberated throughout Keith's body. "You're finally up and about. What are you doing here? You should be in bed, resting."

Exactly what Keith expected to hear. He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "I think I've had enough rest to last a lifetime." Shiro gave him a pointed look. "Not literally."

"A day or two more couldn't hurt. I- We were all worried about you. And the others."

A pregnant pause. Something was off, an almost familiar static in the air that Keith couldn't define--but he was here, and Shiro was here--and he didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Need a hand, there?" It was a bit of a crass, sharp thing to say to a one-armed amputee, maybe--but that had always been Shiro's type of humor--had always been Keith's type of humor. Keith prayed he hadn't overstepped his bounds.

Without missing a beat Shiro glanced down at his missing right arm, left hand coming up to meet with his right shoulder. "It's... kind of hard to sleep with," he answered. "It's all..." Shiro squinted his eyes, "I don't know, floaty? I power it down at night. I half expect the alien energy it gives off to burn through my bed while I'm asleep. And it's not exactly the most comfortable thing to roll onto."

Keith smiled at that. He could tell Shiro was hurting, but Shiro was trying--trying for him. "Have the others left their rooms yet?"

Shiro shook his head. "No. So far just you. The doctors didn't expect any of you to be in walking condition for at least another week."

Keith shrugged, keeping in check the wince the motion would have created if he hadn't already recognized the soreness his body was still recovering from. "I feel fine," he replied, waving his hand flippantly to answer Shiro's accusing stare. "Galra... physiology, maybe?"

Shiro shook his head and chuckled. Keith knew Shiro didn't believe a word he was saying, but that was okay, because he got Shiro to smile again.

And then that thought from before--that thought that got him out of bed in the dead of night.

"You've been checking up on us?"

Shiro's brows furrowed. "Of course I have," he answered, "and I was just going over the schematics of my new prosthetic with Hunk and Pidge yesterday; they're more or less coherent fifty percent of the time when I visit, but they've got some really good ideas-"

"Why didn't you visit me?"

Keith didn't want to say it, he really didn't, but the words were out before he could stop himself, and he instantly regretted them. Shiro flinched noticeably, taking a second to recovrer.

Keith was being selfish, he knew, but-

"I'm sorry." Those two words again. Keith internally cursed himself. "I've been-" He turned his back to Keith, his front facing the memorial wall again. "I've been really busy," he continued, voice beginning to falter once more. "You know, with Atlas, and the crew. Reports and reparations." Shiro let out a shaky sigh, shoulders slumping. "It's been one hell of a week."

Keith frowned. That wasn't the full truth, and he knew it. A quiet anger began to run through him, its pace steadily increasing. "That's not all, though, is it? You've seen Pidge, and Hunk. Probably Allura and Lance, right?" Keith's voice was getting louder with every word, guilt and doubt drip, drip, dripping with every syllable.

No response--a silent affirmation. "How come-"

"I _can't_!" The words bounced and echoed off the walls for what felt like an eternity. No doubt a good amount of people had heard, but at the moment Keith couldn't care less.

Keith had never-- _never_ \--heard Shiro's voice in such a tone. Shiro's voice was kind, calm, cool, collected. Shiro's voice was a soft, refreshing breeze on one of those beautifully sunlit early evenings.

Shiro's voice wasn't... wasn't _this_.

"Shiro-"

"I can't do it, Keith. I just-" Shiro was visibly shaking now. "God _damn_ it!" He slammed his fist against the memorial wall--at the same location he was so tenderly resting his fingertips on only moments before. "Everything is... everything is just so _wrong_."

Keith remained silent. He knew Shiro wasn't done, not by a long shot, and... Shiro needed this. They both did.

"My life wasn't supposed to be like this. I had my dream, of Kerberos, and afterwards I was- I was supposed to be _done_. I'd do all that I could, but- There's so much to do now, and I- _we've_ already done so much. What more is there? What more do we have to do? How many more innocent people have to die because I wasn't good enough?! Why is the universe... And Adam-" Shiro choked out a pained sob, and Keith-

No amount of physical hurt could compare to the hurt Keith's heart was experiencing right now. If he could he would take on all the universe's--every universe's--struggles, and strifes, and never-ending conflicts if it meant Shiro didn't have to feel like this.

"I wasn't strong enough. I'm _still_  not strong enough. I'm broken-" A sad, watery chuckle. "I was always broken, though, wasn't I? Sendak saw it. Adam saw it, too. I can't believe it took me this long-"

"No."

Shiro stopped, slowly lifted his head and turned to look at Keith behind him. His eyes were even more red and swollen, now, his tear-stricken cheeks reflecting the dim light above. His jaw was quivering, there were bags under his eyes and-

Shiro was beautiful. Always and forever _beautiful_.

Keith just had to tell Shiro what that beauty looked like.

"You're wrong, Shiro." He took a few steps towards Shiro and gently placed his hands upon the taller man's shoulders. A sad smile appeared on Keith's face. "And, for starters, that doesn't happen too often."

Shiro exhaled a soft, broken breath. "Keith?"

"You're also the kindest person I've ever met. You reached out to me when _no one_ else would. You saved my life, Shiro. And in effect... the whole universe. You realize that, right?"

Shiro began to shake his head, but Keith wouldn't let him; Keith grasped him by the chin, his violet eyes pouring all the love, strength and determination he could muster into Shiro's shining grey ones.

"Please, Shiro, listen to me," he pleaded. After a long moment Shiro's downtrodden eyes met his, and finally Keith realized-

"You're my hopes, and my fears. You're the light I see in all that's good in this world. My strength... it comes from you-- _your_ strength."

Keith's heart was hammering in his chest, threatening to burst but he had to continue. He let go of Shiro's chin and pressed his forehead against his, closed his eyes, and just let go.

"I know you're hurting, and I would do anything within my power to stop that. You don't deserve the horrible things that have happened to you- _please_ know that. I don't know when this war will be over, and there's no predicting what's to come, but... I will _always_ be here for you. And that's not just because you were always there for me--it's because it's what you _deserve_."

Keith was shaking too, now, matching Shiro's uncontrollable movements, their ragged breaths intermingling and, _God_ , weren't they a pair?

Keith opened his eyes, desperately hoping his words weren't falling on deaf ears. Shiro was looking right back at him with something like awe written across his face. Keith smiled knowing he'd gotten through. "Okay?"

Shiro nodded, slowly and reluctantly, gasping in a few breaths before his features contorted into another pained grimace, and the wrecked sobs were coming full stop, now--the dam was finally broken.

"Oh, God, _Adam_..." Shiro clutched onto Keith's gown with his one hand, his sobs growing in intensity, and sank to his knees, dragging Keith down with him. Keith wrapped his arms tightly around Shiro, cupping the back of Shiro's head with one hand, resting his chin atop the crown, and let Shiro cry.

"I'm so sorry, Shiro." Keith would let Shiro cling to him for millennia if he thought it would help. He gently rocked Shiro through his turmoil.

A good while later Shiro began to calm down, his cries and gasps getting weaker and coming in longer intervals. He wasn't clutching as tightly to Keith's frame, either. Keith let out a deep sigh.

"I didn't- I couldn't see you. Because of this guilt." Shiro began, his voice absolutely wrecked, which sounded even worse mumbled into his chest, but--Keith hung onto every word like a lifeline.

"But also- seeing you like that, it-" he paused, then shook his head. Shiro took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, collecting himself. "Keith, I- I'm in love with you."

The air had been stolen right out of Keith's lungs, like a thief in the night who knew just where the royal jewels were. He had dreamed, and hoped, but-

"I'm sorry," Shiro let out, cutting Keith's train of thought short. "I know you could never... I just had to say something before-"

"No more 'sorrys' tonight." Keith pulled Shiro back, expression earnest and determined, and looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm in love with you, too."

Shiro's eyes widened in disbelief, a rare, slight blush staining his cheeks before he rested his head against Keith's chest again. "Oh."

"Yeah."

And that was that. Something that seemed so complicated, so impossible at first--something that could quite literally change _everything_ was actually the simplest, most natural-feeling thing in the world. It felt... like home.

"We're gonna get through this, Shiro. We're gonna through this together."

Keith could feel the smile against his chest that Shiro was trying to hide, the weight of his skull a comforting presence. Another small nod, followed by Shiro's smaller "Thank you," and Keith had-

Keith _knew_ they were going to make it. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> i really wanted to write about Shiro angsting out on an unconscious Keith, but..... maybe next! hope yall liked!
> 
> @shiros-sprout on tumblr!!


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